Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 314: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the grants which are available to develop a pre-school facility for children aged three to five years both in terms of capital grant for the development of the facility and for maintenance of same once developed. [14835/05]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The equal opportunities child care programme, EOCP, 2000-2006, is a central pillar in the Government's child care strategy and is intended to increase the availability and quality of child care supports for parents in employment, education or training. The programme is funded by the Exchequer and the European Union Structural Funds as part of the regional operational programmes of the national development plan.

The programme makes capital grant assistance available to community-based, not for profit organisations to build, renovate or equip a child care service if their proposal meets with the objectives of the EOCP programme. In areas of significant disadvantage, multi-annual staffing grants may be available to community based groups which are providing child care which meets the needs of disadvantaged parents to enable them to avail of work, education or training opportunities. Capital grants are also made available to self employed-private providers to build, renovate, upgrade or equip child care facilities. In this regard, capital grant assistance of 65% of the cost of the project up to a maximum of €50,790 may be available.

The principles of the programme state, inter alia, that child care is the provision of daycare facilities and services for pre-school children and for schoolgoing children out of school hours. To receive grant support, an application must show that the proposed service will facilitate parents to avail of employment, educational or training opportunities; be sustainable; be of high quality; have sound management, a good child care programme and training; represent value for money; and not displace existing facilities.

Area Development Management, ADM, Limited, which administers the grant assistance applications on behalf of my Department, carries out a technical assessment of each project to ensure that the project meets with the EOCP criteria. When the assessment is completed, ADM makes a recommendation regarding the allocation of funding which is then considered by the programme appraisal committee, chaired by my Department, before I make a final decision on the application.